Penn State is still trying to solve the same stubborn problem in its ground game, and the answer has not come easily.
Against USC on Saturday, the Nittany Lions’ longest run came from an unlikely source: Rocco Becht, who picked up 10 yards on a fourth-down keeper late in the first half to move Penn State into field-goal range. That was about as much rhythm as the run game could muster. Even after trimming the backfield rotation to just two of the four running backs it has used before, Penn State managed only 2.2 yards per carry.
“We mixed up who the running backs have been and the scheme has been, and we haven't been able to just find the perfect match yet,” Taylor Mouser said Tuesday. “And it's something that we're desperate to find.”
The one time the Penn State run game really clicked came against Buffalo, by far its softest opponent to this point. The Nittany Lions rolled up 304 rushing yards in that game, and the staff spread the work across all four running backs, though the score played a part in that usage.
Still, Matt Campbell made it clear he wants to keep the rotation tighter. He pointed to the pairing of Carson Hansen and James Peoples as the kind of setup he’d like to see more often.
“I thought that rotation with (Carson Hansen) and James (Peoples) was probably closer to where we would like to be, in terms of what's going on,” Campbell said.
That kind of approach fits what Campbell and Mouser have done before. Both have plenty of background with either a true bell-cow back or a two-back system from their time at Iowa State.
The difference now is that their former setup came with Breece Hall and David Montgomery, two backs who went on to build strong NFL careers. Penn State has not yet shown it has anyone at that level through six weeks.
“Last couple years, it's been duo,” Mouser said. “We've been able to create great chemistry up front and hammer double teams and things like that, and for us, I think that you would say it's probably been a wide zone and a gap emphasis for us to be able to allow those guys to be able to stay on combos.”
Penn State has worked outside the tackles this season, trying to create space and let its backs run free, but the lanes have not opened the way the staff hoped.
Quinton Martin Jr. may be the back best built for that style. He has not seen much action since the Buffalo blowout, but against the Bulls he flashed that speed with a 61-yard run after bouncing it outside. Mouser still sees real upside there and believes the former 4-star can help this season.
“I love Quinton. I think he's a great kid and does all the right stuff,” Mouser said. “So for us, putting him in a spot to be able to execute well at practice and then go out and do what he does well, and he did that today in practice.”
There were at least a few signs of life in the short-yardage game. Penn State went bigger in its personnel on short fourth-down situations, and that helped Hansen get what he needed, including a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
“I do feel like there were some things even in that game that showed up as positives for us that I think we can build off of, and I think there's some other things that continue to show we have to figure out what we do well, and then have the ability to adjust when people take that away,” Campbell said.
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Penn States coaching change in October 2025 set off a stretch of uncertainty that still shapes how the program is being judged today. James Franklin was dismissed after a third straight Big Ten loss, and what followed was a 54-day search that eventually landed on Matt Campbell. The move gave the Nittany Lions a fresh start on the sideline, but it also came with the kind of scrutiny that never really disappears once a high-profile job opens up.
The process drew plenty of attention along the way, including interest in Bob Chesney and Kalani Sitake, and it has only sharpened the conversation around athletic director Pat Krafts decisions. Penn State opened the next season 3-0, but the losses that followed knocked the team out of College Football Playoff contention and left the program dealing with the bigger question of whether the right call was made when the search finally ended. [Read more 🡒]
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The event also gave Penn State a chance to keep pushing ahead while the calendar still has room to shift. Along with hosting the visitors, the program handed out new offers to players in the 2028, 2029 and 2030 classes, widening the board while the buzz from the weekend was still fresh. For a staff that knows how much the White Out setting can matter, the message was clear: the pressure is on now, long before these recruiting battles reach the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Defensive Problem It Cant Ignore
Penn States defense hit a rough patch in Week 6, and Marcus Neal Jr. ended up at the center of it. The Iowa State transfer safety was benched after struggling in coverage during Big Ten play, a reminder that the Lions portal-heavy approach does not always come with instant answers, especially when the schedule tightens and the margins get smaller.
Neal is not the only former Cyclone who has had trouble settling in. Linebackers Kooper Ebel and Jeremiah Cooper have also underperformed, with tackling and coverage issues becoming part of the conversation. For a defense that wants to stay dependable deep into conference play, the question now is whether Penn State needs to lean less on some of those Iowa State transfers and give younger options a bigger look. [Read more 🡒]